Session -- Get Healthy!: Innovative Public Market Strategies and Programs to Increase Access to Fresh, Healthy Food Genís Arnàs is Director of Market Services at Institut Municipal de Mercats de Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain.

1. GENÍS ARNÀS
Get Healthy!: Innovative
Public Market Strategies and
Programs to Increase Access
to Fresh, Healthy Food
Director of Market Services
Institut Municipal de Mercats de
Barcelona

3. THE MARKETS OF
BARCELONA:
THE MARKET AS A GUARANTEE
OF PROXIMITY AND QUALITY
Genís Arnàs
Head of markets
garnas@mercatsbcn.cat

4. BRIEF HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION
Barcelona historically, due to its industrialised evolution and therefore social differentiation, has
regulated the municipal capacity of protection of urban provisions, of basic foods such as
bread, fish and meat.
In Catalonia, the municipal market, “the square” par excellence, has been conceived since 1870,
as a service of municipal competence.

5. BRIEF HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION
Initially the commercial activity took
place in a public space in the open air.
Until not so long ago, the local legislation
established that in municipalities with a
population of more than 5,000
inhabitants they would have, amongst
others, the obligation of providing the
service of municipal markets .

6. BRIEF HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION
1.- 19th century: The first markets of Barcelona, Boqueria, Santa Caterina and
Sant Antoni
2.- Markets added due to the annexation to Barcelona of old independent
towns
3.- Demographic boom and urban expansion of the 1960s
Therefore, there are three generations of buildings:
- Those constructed before 1900, and therefore, with all the connotations that come
with the fact of being centenary centres;
- Others constructed between 1900 and 1960;
- And finally the markets constructed from 1960 onwards.

7. Santa Caterina Market
Boqueria Market
Sant Antoni Market

16. THE ACCESS TO FOOD.
How is it guaranteed?

17. What is the network of
markets of Barcelona?
A unique network formed by:
– 39 food markets,
– 4 non-food markets,
– a total of 113,000 m2 of commercial area,
– 2,500 establishments, 23 supermarkets,
– and that in its most immediate catchment area counts
on a consuming population (not all responsible for the
shopping) of nearly 1,000,000 people.

18. Plan of the catchment areas of the
markets of Barcelona

19. The point of inflection
 1979, arrival of democracy in Spain.
 1980s, strong expansion of the subsidiary distribution, and
consequent loss of the exclusivity of the commercialisation of
food.
The town and city councils reacts by approving plans and new
formulas of management towards the municipal markets:
1 - the initial approval and updating of the PECAB (1985,
1999 and 2011),
2 - the creation of the Municipal Institute of Markets
(1993).
3 - New policies are boosted for the renovation of the
network of markets.

20. Vocation of public
service by a city
council or other
Guarantee
consumer-user
rights and needs
To guarantee the
economic viability
of the business of
the operators

21. AVAILABILITY OF FOOD
The case of the fruit and
vegetables

22. AVAILABILITY OF FOOD
 400 establishments of fruit and vegetables, which represent
approximately 15% of the total
 Provide employment to almost 1,000 people, between owners,
families and workers
 For more than 90% they are the main source of incomes
 More than 92% of the products are acquired from MB
Very high level of frequency and loyalty, with 64% who buy
between one and three times a week

23. AVAILABILITY OF FOOD
400 establishments x 80 clients on average
each day x 300 days of sales x average receipt
of 10 euros =
annual turnover of 96 million euros
Represents a share of more than 20% of the
total sales of fruit and vegetables in the city of
Barcelona

24. THE SELLING CONDITIONS
Guarantee of quality

25. THE SELLING CONDITIONS
HEALTH, a value
linked to the
purchasing of
fresh products
and of quality

26. THE SELLING CONDITIONS
Fostering healthy
consumption
Compliance with the
regulations for Food Safety
The Educational
Programmes aimed at
youths

27. THE SELLING CONDITIONS

28. THE SELLING CONDITIONS

29. THE SELLING CONDITIONS
compliance
with the
regulations of
food safety

30. THE SELLING CONDITIONS
Establishments and store rooms
 Obtaining the authorisations granted by the
ASPB.
 Working furniture and exhibition of products,
non-porous materials, with interior sanitary
corners.
 Refrigeration, according to the different types
of products to be conserved.
 Supply of hot and cold running water with a
non-manual mechanism: pedal or photo-
electric cell.
 Single-use hand dryer and hand-soap
dispenser.

31. THE SELLING CONDITIONS
how does it communicate?

32. THE SELLING CONDITIONS
how does it communicate?

33. THE SELLING CONDITIONS
Educational programmes

34. THE SELLING CONDITIONS
Teaching material

35. THE SELLING CONDITIONS
www.menjodemercat.cat